Resources for Liaisons
Welcome to the PLN Liaison section of our website!
As the PLN liaison for your district/school, you are the contact person for PLN's Executive Director, PLN administrators and PLN faculty. As the district/school link to PLN, you are responsible for staying in touch with the PLN office and Executive Director. You coordinate logistics such as, but not limited to, collecting needs assessments and payment, assisting participants with the registration process and securing meeting space and other course facilitation needs.
We hope to use this space to share resources, questions and ideas among PLN liaisons.
- How does a district/school establish a site?
- Does PLN support whole school reform?
- How can a district/school fund PLN programs?
- What is the process for a district/school to pay for PLN services?
- What are the minimum number of participants for a credit-bearing course?
- How do participants register for a credit-bearing course?
- Can a participant drop a course?
- How is a PLN program evaluated?
- What if a district/school wants to hire a PLN faculty member outside of PLN for independent work?
- Sample PLN flyer
How does a district/school establish a site?
First, contact the PLN Executive Director by calling 215-898-1984 or contact us via email. The next step is setting up preliminary conversations between PLN faculty/staff and district administrators and teachers to discuss the district's needs in particular curriculum areas and the PLN programs best suited to address them. Establishing a site often takes place a year or at least several months in advance of the program start date in order to allow for sufficient time to tailor seminars and workshops to the district's or school's specific needs.
Does PLN support whole school reform?
PLN assists whole-school reform efforts through specific work with school leaders, mentors, and curriculum planning teams. The focus is on supporting teacher implementation of PLN frameworks, setting and maintaining school-wide goals, and aligning administrative and coaching efforts in support of school change. PLN programs for whole-school reform are developed with district/school input and tailored to their specific needs. See course information here.
How can a district/school fund PLN programs?
Funding can be obtained through various routes, including: federal and state funds such as Title I, through contractual arrangement with teachers for course credit, or via other arrangements.
What is the process for a district/school to pay for PLN services?
Fees/financial plans are set up exclusively with the PLN Executive Director. The PLN administrator sends a letter of agreement and later an invoice (or invoices) for the program which are paid to "The Trustees of The University of Pennsylvania".
If participants are paying individually and then will be reimbursed by the district, liaisons should mail in their checks with the Registration and Needs Assessments forms in a pre-addressed FedEx envelope.
What are the minimum number of participants for a credit-bearing course?
Typically, the minimum number of participants for a credit-bearing course is 15. If your school/district is unable to recruit the minimum number of participants, contact the Executive Director to discuss alternative options.
How do participants register for a credit-bearing course?
All credit-bearing course participants must use PLN's online registration system. The registration link is located on the bottom, right side of PLN's home page. Click here for downloadable instructions for the online registration system. Click here for a modifiable template explaining PLN registration processes.
Can a participant drop a course?
Yes, a participant can drop a credit-bearing course. The participant must drop the course before the start of the seond course session by contacting the course facilitator. If the participant drops the course after the second course session, the participant or the participant's district will be responsible for full tuition payment.
How is a PLN program evaluated?
Typically, programs are evaluated by participants midway through the seminar or workshop and at its conclusion. Evaluations are sent to liaisons to keep them informed of the impact of the PLN program.
What if a district/school wants to hire a PLN faculty member outside of PLN for independent work?
All PLN faculty members are required to conduct work with PLN districts through PLN and not independently. We ask that you contact the PLN Executive Director to set up any assignments for PLN faculty on a given year or the next year. We work to maintain the integrity and continuity of PLN work and we put many resources into the training and support of our faculty members as well. The Executive Director will work with you flexibly to consider costs if this is an issue.
Please do not contact faculty members for independent jobs. Call the PLN office or Executive Director: 215-898-1984.
